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(U//FOUO) Five-Eyes Language Summit: Focusing on What Each Does
Best
FROM: Cheryl Houser
NSA/CSS Senior Language Authority (SLA)
Run Date: 07/17/2006
(U//FOUO) The first-ever Five-Eyes Language Summit was held at Fort Meade from 26-29 June
2006. The Summit afforded the participants an opportunity to discuss common challenges, but
also to explore ways that they can best capitalize upon each other's unique talents and
capabilities, such as by making high-demand/low-availability language resources go farther.
(U//FOUO) The Summit, hosted by the NSA/CSS Senior Language Authority and the Language
Analysis Skill Community, was kicked off by Deputy Director for Analysis and Production Carl
Johnson. He praised the high-level of collaboration NSA has achieved in recent years and
charged the summit participants to continue to increase the sharing of our knowledge to better
meet both our individual national needs, as well as our shared global challenges.
(U//FOUO) The 4-day summit featured presentations from similar-level experts from the
Partners. Each identified unique aspects of their organizations, and contributed to the
beginnings of a multi-axis approach to our common problems. For example:
the GCSB (New Zealand) workforce, though relatively small, is highly proficient in the
less-commonly-taught languages of the Pacific island nations;
the CSE (Canadian) language workforce is not composed exclusively of TS//SI-cleared
individuals;
DSD (Australia) fully integrates civilian, military, and contract language analysts in the
same spaces;
A particular strength of GCHQ (UK) is multi-language capability among its analysts;
NSA/CSS is very strong in providing training opportunities and in pursuing technology as
an aide to language analysis.
(U//FOUO) While traditionally ready to help each other out in crisis situations, the Partners have
also begun to share expertise on an increasingly regular basis. NSA/CSS language analysts
routinely deploy to the Partners for operational tours of duty, and the other Partners are eager
to do the same. The increasing "netcentricity" of SIGINT processing also provides opportunities
to share resources virtually. The beginnings of such an approach (as well as more detailed
information from the Summit) can be found at this link: Summit webpage .
(U//FOUO) Many challenges remain, of course, but the initial Five-Eyes Language Summit built a
strong foundation for an increasingly collaborative approach to SIGINT. Next year's Summit will
undoubtedly approach new challenges with the same combined energy.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108